The present invention relates to a pet toy and exerciser that automatically, without the use of conventional motors, projects a laser beam target in a random three-dimensional field.
Numerous pet amusement devices have been patented over the decades. Most of those have been based on passive devices that require the initiation of movement by an animal; components of the devices would then move, oscillate, or otherwise return some form of stimulation to the animal. A recent example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,215 to Zeff, which includes a passive flexible target attached to a flexible rod; movement initiated by an animal initiates a prolonged oscillatory motion to provide a degree of continuing stimulation to an animal. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,184 to Niedenberger discloses an otherwise passive target or targets attached to a wire and handle that requires human manipulation to induce motion and stimulate an animal""s interest.
Recently, devices which use motors and solenoids to create mobile targets have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 5.651,332 to Moore et al discloses a motorized suspended toy that periodically and automatically oscillates to stimulate an animal""s predatory responses.
Alternative methods of animal stimulation using projected light sources as targets have also been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,377 to Anderson et al is concerned with automatically projecting a moving light image of a prey through the use of a rotating lamp source of light. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,036 to Amiss et al employs a hand-held laser beam generator; however, this patent requires manipulation and manual movement of the device to create a moving target.
Two recently filed U.S. patent applications for motor driven laser pet toys are also of interest. U.S. application Ser. No. 20010037773 to Nathanson et al discloses a device which uses a drive motor, pulley, and many accessory components to rotate a laser projecting a beam to a reflecting dome and to thereby provide a moving beam outside of the device enclosure. U.S. application Ser. No. 20020002955 to Lorenz similarly uses motors to effectively move a laser beam. In this application, motors, through a series of actuator arms, oscillate mirrors to reflect a laser beam to provide an automatically moving laser light projected outside of the enclosure of the device.
The present invention exploits the recognized characteristic of an animal, such as a cat or a dog, to be attracted to, and to chase after, the intense focused coherent light of a laser beam. The invention concerns an automatic multidimensional moving virtual laser target that induces animals to follow and chase a virtual prey, thereby obviating the need-for human intervention, activity or manual stimulation.
It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic device, which does not employ conventional motors, for moving a laser beam target through three dimensions so as to provide animal stimulation and exercise without the need for human expenditure of effort or energy.
It is also an object of the invention to automatically, at user-selected intervals, power up the device periodically for short intervals and to thus stimulate and exercise the pet without owner involvement or presence.
Generally speaking, the present invention comprises a miniaturized, silent, projected moving laser target generator which does not use conventional motors.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a pet toy and exerciser device comprising: a housing; a laser module for producing a laser beam; mounting means for mounting said laser module within said housing so as to enable movement of the laser module in three dimensions; at least one nitinol wire connected to the mounting means for the laser module, said nitinol wire having a contraction state and a relaxation state and producing movement of said laser module in the contraction state of said nitinol wire; position restoring means connected to the mounting means for the laser module for returning said laser module to an initial rest position in the relaxation state of said nitinol wire; and a user activated electrical control circuit connected to said nitinol wire for controlling the states thereof.
Preferably, one control circuit includes a user adjustable electronic timer for automatically switching the states of the at least one nitinol wire on a periodic basis. The electronic timer preferably includes means for providing automatic cyclic operation of the device between first and second modes wherein, during the first mode, the device operates automatically for a set period of time and, during the second mode, the device is turned off for a set period of time.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the mounting means includes a universal joint for enabling movement of the laser module in three dimensions and the at least one nitinol wire comprises first and second nitinol wires connected to said universal joint so as to provide simultaneous vertical and horizontal sweeping of the laser beam produced by said laser module. In one advantageous implementation, the first nitinol wire controls up and down movement of said module and said second nitinol wire controls rotation of said module.
According to a further embodiment, the mounting means comprises a rotatable sleeve and a rotatable support spindle on which said sleeve is mounted, said module being mounted on said sleeve, and said at least one nitinol wire comprising a first wire connected to said sleeve to control rotation thereof, and a second wire connected to said spindle to control rotation thereof.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, the mounting means comprises a rotatable sleeve connected to said laser module, and the device further comprises a mirror for reflecting the laser beam produced by the laser module, and a further rotatable sleeve connected to said mirror; said at least one nitinol wire comprising a first nitinol wire connected to said first rotatable sleeve so as to control rotation thereof and thus control rotation of said laser beam, and a second nitinol wire connected to said further rotatable sleeve so as to control rotation thereof and thus control rotation of said mirror.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a pet toy and exerciser device comprising: a housing; a laser module, mounted within the housing, for producing a laser beam; a plurality of nitinol wires coupled to the laser module so as to produce movement thereof, said nitinol wires having a contraction state and a relaxation state and producing said movement of said laser module in the contraction state of said nitinol wires; a plurality of return springs connected to the laser module for returning said laser module to an initial rest position in the relaxation state of said nitinol wires; and a user activated electrical control circuit connected to said nitinol wires for, when activated, controlling the states thereof to produce movement of said laser beam.
The control circuit preferably includes a user adjustable electronic timer for automatically and periodically changing the states of the nitinol wires. The timer preferably includes means for providing automatic cyclic operation of the device between first and second modes wherein, during the first mode, the device operates automatically for a set period of time and, during the second mode, the device is turned off for a set period of time.
In one embodiment, the module includes a universal joint for enabling movement thereof in three dimensions and said plurality of nitinol wires comprise first and second nitinol wires connected to said universal joint so as to provide simultaneous vertical and horizontal sweeping of the laser beam produced by said laser module. Advantageously, the first nitinol wire controls up and down movement of said module and said second nitinol wire controls rotation of said module.
In another embodiment, the device further comprises a rotatable sleeve and a rotatable support spindle on which said sleeve is mounted, said module being mounted on said sleeve, and said plurality of nitinol wires comprising a first wire connected to said sleeve to control rotation thereof, and a second wire connected to said spindle to control rotation thereof.
In still another embodiment, the device further comprises a rotatable sleeve connected to said laser module, a mirror for reflecting the laser beam produced by the laser module, and a further rotatable sleeve connected to said mirror; said plurality of nitinol wires comprising a first nitinol wire connected to said first rotatable sleeve so as to control rotation thereof and thus control rotation of said laser beam, and a second nitinol wire connected to said further rotatable sleeve so as to control rotation thereof and thus control rotation of said mirror.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows.